One suspect is believed to have traveled to Syria to fight with
Islamic State (also known as ISIS, or ISIL). According to the
Guardian, the men were laughing and joking with each other as
they appeared on court screens.

The four were arrested “on suspicion of being concerned in
the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of
terrorism,” according to a statement by Metropolitan Police
commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe following the arrests.

The suspects are accused of obtaining a handgun and silencer to
carry out their attack, possibly in a drive-by shooting.
Detectives reportedly found a Baikal handgun, a silencer and
ammunition, as well as Instagram photos of two Metropolitan
Police officers and two police community support officers.

They are also said to have been in possession of al Qaeda’s
English-language magazine, Inspire, and a copy of the ISIS
magazine, Dabiq, which contained images of the beheading of the
American journalist Steven Sotloff.

The five have reportedly sworn allegiance to Islamic State and
have used Google Street View to map out Shepherd’s Bush police
station and White City Territorial Army barracks in London,
possibly for an attack.

The men demonstrated some degree of “tradecraft” by
using code words for money, mopeds and firearms, a court heard in
October when they first appeared over the allegations.

After the men’s arrest, friends and supporters of Tarik Hassane
took to social media to campaign against his detention under the
hashtag #JusticeForTarik.